Loathing Valentine's Day
by Sisco
Summary: Iruka hates Valentine’s Day? What a travesty! At least there’s someone willing to change his mind though. KakaIru


**Loathing Valentine's Day**

By: Sisco

Beta: ZheM

Genre: Angst, romance, slight humor  
Pairings: KakaIru, KotetIzu, GenRai

Ratings: PG  
Summary: Iruka hates Valentine's Day? What a travesty! At least there's someone willing to change his mind though.  
Status: Complete (One-Shot)

As far back as Iruka could remember Valentine's Day had always been something to look forward to. But that was around the time his parents had still been alive. They would give him chocolate, stuffed animals, and cards. Even when his parents were out on missions, they always made sure to leave a gift out for him where he could see it in the mornings, usually on the kitchen table.

But now, every Valentine's morning, there wouldn't be a present waiting to be opened by his greedy hands. Not even a card. He didn't mind after his parents had died, it was just the fact that their lovely gifts told him they were there and that they loved him. Now, it was him giving them gifts at the monument. He usually brought a bouquet of flowers for each of them. He'd say a prayer for them and then wish them a Happy Valentine's Day. It wasn't often that would he stay longer, because it almost always had him reminiscing about the past.

It wasn't until he was fourteen that he started hating Valentine's Day. No one seemed to notice him, not his friends, neighbors, anybody! Today wasn't going to be any different and he knew it. Feeling particularly grumpy, like always on this day; he slowly slid out of bed; scrounged the kitchen for his morning ramen and coffee; dressed; and then made his way to work.

The streets were littered with red paper hearts, lanterns, and streamers and none of it came as a surprise to our dour, little chuunin. He was nauseated by the _pretty _decorations and the way people rushed by with gifts in their arms. Sure, he'd give the occasional sweet smile and a 'Happy Valentine's Day,' but none of it was from the heart; just some bitter, black thing simmering in the pit of his gullet. _Stupid holiday! _

He plastered his smile on once again as he walked into his classroom filled with obnoxiously loud, wannabe ninjas. Nope, not even his students cared to share this glorious, stupendous day with him. The rest of the eight hours went on in this manner until it was time to leave for the mission room just to be greeted merrily by Genma, Raidou, Kotetsu, and Izumo. It was becoming difficult to give his 'happy' attitude. "Good afternoon," he muttered, trying to avoid grinding his teeth together. _Don't kill them. They didn't do anything to warrant such an action. Also, you don't want to end up in the penitentiary with Mizuki. _As he approached his desk, his eyes still focused on the others, he started to wonder why their expressions were so suspicious. "Why are you…" He was promptly cut off when he looked down at his desk. Sitting on his files, smiling up at him was a plush doll. It had mismatched eyes, a puff of silver hair, a mask covering its lower face, and a rose hugged within its fingerless hands. "What the…" He looked up at Genma who gave a startled snort at the chuunin's expression.

"Don't look at me! Why would I give you something half-ass corny as that? If it were me I would have given you…" Genma gasped as his senbon was practically shoved down his throat by his lover, Raidou.

Raidou frowned as he roughly rubbed his knuckles into the side of Genma's temple, earning him a yelp and feeble struggling. "Don't listen to him, Iruka-sensei. He's just being stupid again." He hissed the last part while sternly looking at his lover. "Why don't you read the card?"

Iruka had apparently ignored Genma's comment, considering he was lifting the doll into his hands and actually giving a small, sincere smile. "Kakashi-sensei did this," he whispered to himself. He then lifted the card and read it as Raidou had requested.

_Love - a wildly misunderstood although highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, blood pressure to rise and the lips to pucker. _

Iruka hadn't even read all it yet and he was already chuckling. _This sounds exactly like Kakashi_. He then continued to read the rest.

_The hours I spend with you I look upon as sort of a perfumed garden, a dim twilight, and a fountain singing to it. You and you alone make me feel that I am alive. Other men it is said have seen angels, but I have seen thee and thou art enough. (1)_

_Please be mine! _

_Your Valentine,_

_Hatake Kakashi. _

Tears glimmered in Iruka's eyes as he closed the card and set it down next to his files. He held the doll tightly against his chest, the rose tickling his chin as if the doll had done it on purpose. "He's…a bit strange…" Iruka stuttered meekly.

"Aren't all Jounin's _a bit strange_?" Genma deadpanned and was reprimanded with a sound thwack against his head. "Ow! Raidou, you don't have to be so mean," he pouted teasingly and grabbed the offender's hand to kiss it passionately.

Raidou blushed profusely. "Oi, if those Jounins include Izumo and me, then you're sorely mistaken in thinking that all of them are _a bit strange_."

Both Kotetsu and Genma had the decency to appear offended. "Hey!"

The rest of his day ran smoothly. He actually smiled from his heart and wished his former students and their senseis a Happy Valentine's Day. To be honest, he just couldn't wait to get back home and think about the events of the day. Kakashi wanted him to be his…lover? It made him blush just thinking about it and his heart beat twice as fast.

Iruka's shift finally ended and he was able to go home. He held his nose up and grinned broadly all the way home. This was the best day he could ever have and it just kept getting better when he found a note taped to his apartment door, also signed by Kakashi.

_I hope you like your gift. It took me a month and three days to complete it. The hair was actually used from my own and the mask was made from the same fabric as my mask. It was strange how much I enjoyed making it for you. I must be really… What's that saying they always use when you feel like you're about to cry and your heart feels like it's going to burst every time they see that person? In love? Yes! I must be really in love with you to enjoy doing something so... feminine._

Iruka laughed, his grip on the doll tightening.

_I want to do more for you though. You always seem sad, especially on this particular day. You never thought I'd notice, did you? No, I'm not a stalk…er…Okay maybe I am. But I want to be the one to take away the sorrow that you have for this day. And I'll do it all by hugging you, kissing you, and maybe making more dolls for you. You'd have quite a collection if I made them of me with different expressions. ;) _

The Chuunin blushed and laughed again. "I bet you're getting a kick out of me blushing," he murmured dreamily. "I know you're watching."

_I just want you to know though. I've fallen in love with you and I can't seem to get out. I think it's safe to say that it'd be pointless if I tried, because I'd be dragged right back in. _

_If you allow it, my dearest Iruka, would you allow me to become part of your life? _

_Your addicted Copy-nin,_

_Hatake Kakashi _

Iruka smiled deviously as he opened his apartment door and walked in, purposefully forgetting to close the door behind him. He slipped his sandals off and stepped into the kitchen. He drew out a pencil from his vest pocket and wrote a note at the end of Kakashi's letter. He folded the paper in half and reattached it to the door with a new piece of tape and closed it. Now all he had to do was wait, because he knew Kakashi had been watching. It wasn't hard to not notice the over erratic, if not excited, chakra spewing forth from the copy-nin in a twenty-mile radius.

Okay. Maybe Valentine's Day wasn't _that_ bad.

A few seconds later a silver haired Jounin leapt down from the roof across from Iruka's apartment and detached the note from the door. He skipped the letter that he wrote and read the one that Iruka left for him.

_Love me and the world is mine_. (2)

_Come inside and let me love you!_

_Iruka_

Kakashi flushed from head to feet as he stuffed the note into his pocket and entered the apartment. Probably not to be seen until the next day.

Owari

A/N: Love Quotes: (1) Written by George Moore. (2) Written by David Reed.

The one before George Moore's quote was an unknown writer.

I hope you enjoyed this one-shot. I had to get my angst out…sort of. I hate Valentine's Day!!! I wish someone would do that for me. TT


End file.
